Indiana Man Arrested For Abusing Wife While Living Under ‘Slave Contract’

32-year-old Kenneth Eugene Harden of Seymour, Indiana has been accused of beating, choking and raping his wife after convincing her to sign a “slave contract,” WFIE-TV reported on Thursday, September 4th.

Harden is accused of 38 counts of battery, criminal confinement and rape. He reportedly married the woman just over a year ago, shortly after meeting her through a personal ad on the popular website Craig’s List.

Harden allegedly described himself as a Christian during their courtship, only to reveal six months into the marriage that he was a self-proclaimed “sadist.”

According to local police, they learned about the alleged abuse after Harden’s wife called them to their home on Aug. 30. The woman claimed Harden choked her with a collar she was required to wear as part of their “contract.” Harden’s wife also claimed that he continually broke the rules in the agreement.

Investigators uncovered a “slave manual,” which was signed by the woman and Harden this past June, and documents establishing Harden as power of attorney over his wife. Oddly, she told police that despite being abused for months, she was unable to leave him, in part because she suffered from diabetes and Harden never taught her how to properly operate her insulin pump.

The wife was quoted as saying “This is what I’m supposed to live by, and I’m tired of the abuse. I’m tired of getting hit every day. Please, I’m scared.”

Harden’s wife told police there were times he would duct tape or tie her up all day. She claimed that she would yell while Harden hit her, in hopes a neighbor would call for help, but no one in the apartment building ever did.

“We could hear them fighting sometimes and we heard a lot of loud noises upstairs, but I never thought anything of it.” downstairs neighbor Tyler Davers was quoted as saying. Davers also noted one other detail that he insisted was odd. “She always wore a leather collar.”

“It was just a black strap and you could see where the chain could go into it. She wore it at the bus stop. She wore it everywhere she went,” Davers said.

Police say Harden was looking into establishing a slave contract with his former wife while they were still married, but one was never established.

Harden is currently being held on a $100,000 bond in Jackson County.

Ladies and gentlemen, it goes without saying that this is a prime example of how not to establish a BDSM lifestyle relationship.